 |
| "It looks like we are going to need a bigger mask!" |
"The president of Valpo announced today that the theology major and minor will be discontinued. If you read his announcement closely, you will see that what will replace that major and minor will be something dealing with "religion," but it is unclear to the theology and philosophy faculty how this new, reimagined program will look or how it will be taught, given the serious faculty reduction in the theo/phil dept. The only remaining philosophy faculty member was informed this morning that his position will be terminated at the end of the next academic year. With my departure, the dept. has just three remaining tenured faculty members whose graduate degrees are in Christian theology.
Unclear to me is how theology will continue to be a required component in the gen. ed. curriculum, given the very small size of the dept. Perhaps the administration intends to hire cheap labor to teach those required courses? (I think we had as many part-time and adjunct faculty teaching theo courses this past year as we had full-time tenured theo faculty.)
Among the other programs that will be discontinued are the bachelor of music (all concentrations), the German major, philosophy major and minor, and the theology and ministry major. Christ College lost its secondary humanities major. It now looks like the admin. plans to shutter the Brauer Art Museum for good, perhaps selling off the art collection to raise money for dorm renovations (?). It is very difficult for me to fathom the end of theology and German at Valpo, two historically stellar depts--both tied to German Reformation history and American church history--but that's the current situation.
I heard this morning that enrollments are significantly down." Matt Becker
***
"This turn at Valpo is truly disturbing, and matches ironically with the impending demise of Concordia Ann Arbor. The Concordia Matters Official Page at Facebook keeps documenting the incredibly awkward and mission-absent methodologies being pushed on Ann Arbor.
One thing that might have been a great next step would/could have been a decided effort by Valpo to reach out to these many stranded students and families with Valpo's quality Lutheran/Christian theology programs including music, German, philosophy and the like. Which no longer exist.
Both places have that downside feel of a fire sale. Everything must go. It's just going to take awhile. We're running out of legacy institutions.
And if you take the blinders off, that includes the local congregation as well. I still like the advice given by Paul Hinlicky - work as hard as you can on the local Gospel mission. It will be tougher than ever, but it will remain the beating heart of the Church. Even when steeples and classrooms are closing."
Dave Benke It's OK To Pray
Unfortunately, the article seems to be behind a paywall.
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/education/vu-breaks-ground-on-interfaith-center/article_312fe11a-6192-11ef-bf9b-9f6823dc0c32.html"
 |
| Three Garfield Elementary School students, from the same class and neighborhood - Moline, Illinois, earned degrees at Yale University. |
"The cost of attendance at some colleges is now nearing six figures a year, after factoring in tuition, fees, room and board, books, transportation and other expenses.
Among the schools appearing on The Princeton Review’s “The Best 389 Colleges” list, eight institutions — including New York University, Tufts, Brown, Yale and Washington University in St. Louis — have a sticker price of more than $90,000 for the 2024-25 academic year, according to data provided to CNBC."
